Rent credits for NYCHA residents

Residents of public housing buildings severely affected by Sandy are catching a break.

The Board of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced that rent adjustments will be made for tenants in developments where heat, hot water and electricity have been nonexistent.

After Sandy hit, 402 NYCHA buildings, housing approximately 79,000 people, were without power and 386 buildings with 77,000 residents without heat and hot water. Electricity has since been restored to 378 buildings, containing about 74,584 tenants and heat and hot water is back for 58,677 residents in 290 buildings.

NYCHA buildings in Queens that have been without essential services include buildings in the Redfern, Carleton Manor, Hammel and Ocean Bay complexes.

Rent credits will be included in tenants January 2013 bill. However, NYCHA officials require residents to continue to pay their normal rents until the credits are reflected on their bill.